Inmates' Views on Procedural Justice: Variations Among Correctional Officers, Treatment Staff, Counselors, and Unit Managers

• In Event: Perceptions on Rights and Reform in American Corrections

Abstract

Most research on inmates’ perceptions of procedural justice in correctional settings has focused primarily on correctional officers, leaving a significant gap in understanding how inmates perceive procedural justice with other types of correctional staff, such as treatment staff, counselors, and unit managers. Furthermore, little is known about whether differences in these perceptions are statistically significant. Using statewide data from 787 inmates incarcerated in 11 correctional institutions in Pennsylvania, we examined inmates’ perceptions of procedural justice across different correctional worker roles. A repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant differences in perceived procedural justice based on staff roles. Specifically, inmates reported higher levels of procedural justice toward treatment staff and counselors compared to correctional officers and unit managers. Additionally, perceptions of procedural justice toward unit managers were significantly higher than those toward correctional officers. These findings highlight the presence of role-specific differences in inmates’ perceptions of procedural justice within correctional settings.

Author

• Jaeyong Choi, West Chester University